This
account is not written by the authors of rorkesdriftvc.com and as such
is represented as it was written by the author, Themba
Mthethwa. Please contact him directly should you have any comments.
This is designed to portray a Zulu perspective on the stories of Isandhlwana
and Rorke's Drift, and does not necessarily
constitute the opinions of this site.

"One hundred years ago, King Cetshwayo's people's
army spoke to the invading enemy with their spears at the battle of
Isandlwana, it engaged and defeated the pride of the British colonial
army - a feat which has gone down in history as one of the most glorious
and spectacular achievements in world struggles to resist foreign domination.Faced with the might of the superior army,
our heroic warriors knew no fear.They
shed rivers of blood to remain free in the land that was undoubtedly
theirs.

In a war which was deliberately
provoked by the enemy, the people's army gave a clear motive that a
time comes in the life of people when there is only one way out - the
way of challenging oppression by force and violence

In doing so, they added a
glorious page to a long history of our people's heroic resistance to
the invasion of the land of their forefathers.Isandlwana has left us with a heritage, whose spirit of no surrender,
whose spirit of sacrifice and discipline inspires and guides our whole
nation in the battles to come, a heritage which is a challenge to all
of us - the children of Isandlwana"1

In
the heart of Mitchell Street, Darwin, in Australia's Northern Territory,
I came across a British Redcoat, similar to those who fought at Isandlwana.On a closer look, it was a café, called "Rorke's
Drift bar/café".It called prospective patrons to come and
enjoy "the best of British hospitality in the heart of Mitchell Street."

Darwin
is well known for its tropical climate and as a major tourist destination,
but is also known for being the major target of Japanese bombings during
World War II.Well known for having survived cyclone Tracy,
well known for the "'Dingo Baby" case fiasco, well known for mandatory
prison terms for theft, a crime closely associated with poverty and
juveniles, this inevitabley led the Aboriginal people being well and
over represented in only one Northern Territory Government's institution
- the Territory's prisons.Fairly
recently, its Supreme Court's dismissed a claim for compensation filed
by the survivors of the "Stolen Generation".It was this judgement and other interests, that brought me to
this city at the Top End of the country Down Under. Before I trampled
on a Redcoat next to the door of the Rorke's Drift bar/café, and as
an indigenous person myself, I found it to be a warm city; I was impressed
with its cosmopolitan multi-culturalism compared with other cities in
mainstream Australia. Earlier I had disembarked in Perth, I happened
to be the only African to disembark there.I also happened to be the only one to be subjected to physical
search by the Customs officials. I braced myself to see the best of
Australian apartheid.

Probably
having been the only African of Zulu descent to dine in the bar/café,
I enquired as to what motivated the naming of the bar/cafe "Rorke's
Drift", when the real Rorke's Drift was across the Indian Ocean, thousands
of miles away.The answer came
loud and clear on the menu:"This is the Story of Rorke's Drift: In 1879, on January 22-23, the
most extraordinary and dramatic events took place at Rorke's Drift,
Natal, South Africa. On being alerted of the most disastrous of defeats
at nearby Isandlwana, British troops numbering less than 150 prepared
to defend the mission station at Rorke's Drift against 4000 Zulus.This was a brutal, unrelenting assault, continuing on its ferocity
for twelve hours.

Sheer
courage, bravery, tactic and determination brought the battle to an
end, the remaining Zulus retreating from the station and (their) humble
kingdom saluting the bravery of the victorious British soldiers left
standing. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded for their bravery and
to date this is the most that has ever been won in one battle.From this, the inspiration was born tocreate a unique theme bar/café unlike any other in the world, the
idea being to provide 'the best of British hospitality in the heart
of Mitchell Street'."2To me, this was the best of British patriotism in the heart
of Australian soil.

In
honour of the British army, I expected the menu to be full of the best
of English dishes, something like Pulleine's Mince, Durnford's Stew
or Melvill and Coghill Buffalo Wings, but I came across Impi Aphrodisiacs,
Shaka Zulu Chicken Wings, Zulu Wedges and Rorke's Native Nacho's. Despite
the name of the bar/café, to me the menu appeared to be in honour of
the Zulu army who fought in Rorke's Drift
or Isandlwana. It was a "people's
army," an army of ordinary people, armed with spears and shields fighting
a professional army, armed with state- of- the- art arms at the time.
They attacked a British military post (it was no longer a mission station).
This regiment comprised of warriors who were well over their forties.
They had traveled in excess of 100km on foot, for almost five days they
had little sleep and little to eat. They had to fight in the dark, which
was not within the Zulu army fighting skills and tactics. The fortitude
to attack the fortified position of the British army through out the
night has to be applauded.

The
question to be asked is whether Rorke's
Drift was of such strategic importance to the British army to warrant
such a defence and if so, whether the eleven Victoria Crosses won on
that day were justified. To answer the first question, one has to understand
why this Swedish mission was commandeered into a military post. The
answer is simple. It was to be a depot and provide supplies to the advancing
British army and, of course, a hospital. It was indeed strategic, but
once the British army was wiped out at Isandlwana,
to me it lost its strategic value in toto. The army that needed the
supplies was no longer there.

When
the news of the disastrous defeat at Isandlwana
reached Lieutenant JRM Chard, who was in
command of the depot at the time, it did not occur to him that he should
engage in a strategic retreat to Helpmekaar as the fugitives earlier
did. It appears he simple decided to dig-in.He was an Engineer having not seen combat before. At some stage
he was described as "a plodding dogged sort." and "Hopelessly
slow and slack."3 The second in command was Lieutenant
Bromhead, once described as "fearless but hopelessly stupid",
and nicknamed "The Deaf Duffer".4 It still remains a mystery as to why
the evacuation of the depot was never ordered despite the fleeing of
Lieutenant Henderson/Stephenson with two squadrons which effectively
reduced the strength from approximately 450 to less than 150 men.5 There
was enough time to evacuate from the time of receiving the initial report
on the defeat and the initial attack. Almost two hours lapsed!6 This was an unnecessary battle, which
would have been avoided with no loss of life on both sides. Probably
the "slowness and slackness" of Lieutenant Chard combined with the "fearlessness
and stupidity" of Lieutenant Bromhead contributed to the decision not
to retreat or evacuate but to defend a non-strategic depot hence the
Battle of Rorke's Drift. The VC can
only be bestowed for action "in the presence of the enemy", between
1858-1881, which caters for 1879, it also included action "under
circumstances of extreme danger". But what if the incumbent misjudges
the situation or creates a situation for such action when same could
have been avoided? Gallantly defended as it was, Rorke's Drift never
played any meaningful role for the remainder of the Campaign.It may be argued that no matter what fortitude the defenders
of Rorke's Drift showed, the decision to dig-in and fight for a non
strategic depot was profitless and a bad one, and as such the dishing
out of so many highest medals, especially to those who took the decision
to defend, was a bad one too, but understandably so in the light of
the Isandlwana defeat. The morale of the troops was low and had to be
boosted for Britain to reclaim the superiority of its army in battles
to come, hence so many Victoria Crosses. A tally, which was never to
be matched in any single engagement even in both World Wars. It is unlikely
that it will ever be matched. Who can argue, using Rorke's Drift's yardstick,
that there were no eleven brave man deserving VCs among those who fought
in Delville Wood or among those who stormed the beaches in Normandy?
Interestingly, only one VC was won in D-Day landings7.
Even among the Wars, which Britain fought alone after Isandlwana and
Rorke's Drift, one is alarmed by the scarcity of VCs in various important
engagements, as a matter of fact; they make credibility of those awarded
at Rorke's Drift really questionable. From Majuba to Spioenkop the scarcity
of this most sought after medal is obvious. Fairly recently, during
the Falkland Islands War, the British Army fought approximately nine
battles on its march to Port Stanley, the Battle of Goose Green was
"arguably the longest and toughest battle of the war"8,
172 British troops against 200 Argentines were to perish in this battle.
Again the Rorke's Drift VC record was not broken. Only one VC was won
in this battle, albeit posthumously. All in all only two VC's were won
in the Falkland Islands War and both posthumously9.
At Isandlwana, out of six companies of the 24th Regiment
who were engaged in battle, or rather on the firing line, not even one
man survived, a record unknown even in modern warfare, or at least I
could not find. Out of 1700 British troops, who defended the camp, less
than 450 were to live to tell the tale. Even 11 VC's that were to be
awarded later, probably to overshadow this military history in the making,
failed. Surprisingly, the only informative web site on the Victoria
Crosses does not include the Rorke's Drift record among its "Unusual
VC's" category10.

Over
one hundred years had passed since the defeat of the British Army at
Isandlwana, but the Zulus
tactics appears to be still inspirational even to the modern British
Army. During the Falkland Island War, and during the battle of Two Sisters,
the Z company of the 45 Commando were shouting " ZULU!!" which is their
"war cry" as they advance towards the enemy, as the Zulus were shouting
" USUTHU!!" advancing towards them a century ago11.
Probably the disciplined and controlled volley fire, with the Officer
Commanding only shouting orders, which characterized the well drilled
British infantry is now a thing of the past.

Friedrich
Engels, a well-known international Social Scientist, writing soon after
these events, had this to say:
"We have witnessed quite recently examples of this bravery in Africa.
The Zulu.did what no European army could do. Armed only with pikes and
spears and without firearms, they advanced, under a hail of bullets
from the breech-loaders, right up to the bayonets of the English infantry--universally
acknowledged as the best in the world for fighting in close formation--throwing
them into disorder and even beating them back more than once; and this,
despite the colossal disparity in weapons and despite the fact that
they have no such things as military service and do not know what military
exercises mean."12This is in sharp contrast to Ian Knight's assertion that "throughout the Anglo Zulu War, neither side
held a monopoly of courage and sacrifice."13 One must compare apples with apples. More
closer to home, Bishop Colenso shared Engels' views, He had this to
say about the Zulu: "were merely
armed people, not a standing army."14
If the decision to award the medals were left to Engels or Colenso,
it would be interesting to know if those eleven Victoria Crosses would
have been awarded at all or if they were to award same to the Zulu army,
how many Victoria Crosses would gone their way.

On
the other hand, it has been argued that King Cetshwayo had given clear
instructions that his warriors should not cross the Umzinyathi River.
He was fighting a defensive battle. He wanted it to be seen who the
aggressors were. It has been argued that Prince Dabulamanzi kaMpande
acted contrary to the King's instructions when commanded the army into
Rorke's Drift. It should be remembered
that he was never reprimanded for his actions, as the doctrine of hot
pursuit was well known even within the people's army. As a matter of
fact, his regiment, which formed the right horn at Isandlwana, did not
take part in the fighting earlier in the day but had to remain on guard
and cut any reinforcement or retreat to or from Rorke's Drift, which
they did.15
They did the pursuit. The doctrine of hot pursuit was applied, though
it was to be ruthlessly applied by the British at Gingindlovu, Khambule
and Ulundi. In any event the land west of Umzinyathi River and west
of Ncome River had been a matter of dispute for sometime between the
Zulus and the Boers. Late in 1877 a British Commission was formed to
investigate the matter and find in favour of the Zulus. As a matter
of irony, it sat in Rorke's Drift, which within few months was to be
a centre stage of fighting. As if this was not enough, Col. A Durnford,
who was to die at Isandlwana
few miles away in few months time, was part of the Commission. The Commission's
report was not welcomed by the protagonists of the war like Governor
Sir Bartle Frere who wanted to use the land dispute as an excuse for
the invasion. It was to be withheld until his wishes were achieved,
and as such, it can than be argued that Dabulamanzi did not act outrageously.
It is interesting to note that 29 farms in this area have now been returned
to the Zulu families by the South African Land Commission.16Thanks to the non-protagonist, Henry Bulwer who initiated the Commission;
our country has avoided Zimbabwe upheavals when it comes to land redistribution
in this area.

The
British defeat at Isandlwana
is synonymous with the American's defeat in Vietnam or the French's
defeat at Dien Bien Phu17. Isandlwana,
Vietnam and Dien Bien Phu became the symbols of hope and determination
in the fight by indigenous people against foreign domination and imperialism.
In 1979, to mark the 100th Anniversary of the victory at Isandlwana,
and in line with its tradition, the African National Congress, then
a liberation movement, declared 1979 the "The year of the spear" because of the central role played by the
spear at Isandlwana.18A specialized Unit called "Isandlwana Detachment" was formed within
UMKHONTO WESIZWE (The Spear of
the Nation), the now disbanded military wing of the African National
Congress. It was more successful in the field compared with the "Luthuli
Detachment" which fought in Wankie, Rhodesia in 1967.19

As
long as people still talk about Isandlwana,
they will also talk about Vietnam and Dien Bien Phu. It is generally known
that the most of the American " Vietnam Veterans" returned with a condition
that was later to be referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ("PTSD").
I randomly picked two of the winners of Victoria Crosses at Rorke's
Drift to determine how they lived after Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana.
One Cpl Ferdnand Christian Schiess, a Swiss
national, died as a tramp aged 28, on a Vessel to England after the members
of the Public contributed to pay for his passage. He was buried at sea
off the coast of Angola.20
The other, one Robert Jones, died aged 41.
He committed suicide. The Coroners records states that Jones suffered
nightmares following his hand-to-hand combat at the South African mission
station Rorke's Drift. Verdict: Suicide whilst temporarily insane.21It appears that the trauma of Rorke's Drift was too much to
bear and was to take its toll years later.

A
long train of "movies" was to emerge in America potraying the Americans
as " Heroes" and Vietnamese as "Villains" who probably succeeded because
of their numbers. The similar trend had emerged in English "Films".
Of particular note is a 1964 film " Zulu", starring
Michael Caine and Stanley Baker. Not surprising, it failed dismally
to capture moments of glory of the People's Army. Same can be said about
"Zulu Dawn".

On
the other hand, the first American films on the Vietnam war, in the
heroic mould, like the "Green Berets" were released when the American
public was well informed and knew better, the movie audiences stayed
away in droves and they were box office flops. Those who were anti-heroic,
or rather portrayed what may have been the true events, were indeed
successful, I have in mind films like " Apocalypse now", "The Deer Hunter"
and " Platoon." Probably the British audience still has to know what
really happened in 1879, but it may be difficult to achieve this if
British writers like Ian
Knight, who is considered as an "authority" on the Anglo-Zulu war
still refer to Zulu victory at Isandlwana
as "the massacre at Isandlwana."22

We,
the Children of Isandlwana, have to ensure that there exists a proper
historical adaptation of these events in the form of art. Mbongeni Ngema's
stage play, "The Zulu" is a step to the right direction in setting the
record straight though it failed to capture some important facts like
the death of Prince Imperial, the last Survivor of the Bonaparte dynasty.
His death, at the hands of the Zulus, marked the death of the Royalist
dream in France.23
It corroborates the fact that, to a certain extent, the Zulus were not
only fighting the British but also the European Army. It may have been
over dramatized to the extent of potraying the warriors drinking paraffin
thinking it was rum after taking over the British camp. This is not
documented and may be a mere folklore. It is, in any event a good play,
at least for the British audience to hear and see the other side insteadof spending their pounds in the Lodges next to the battlefields and
pay the guides to tell them what they want to hear.

I
regard myself as one of the children of Isandlwana referred to by the
late President Oliver Tambo in his speech quoted in the opening of this
article. At the beginning of January 2001 after my wandering and trampling
on the Redcoat in Darwin I visited the battlefields of Isandlwana
and Rorke's Drift. The purpose of my
visit was to determine if, we, the children of Isandlwana, have in fact
restored the dignity and honour of those soldiers of the people's army
who fell in those battles.

When
I arrived at the main gate of the battlefield of Isandlwana the only
conspicuous item was the British Union Jack flag flying solo among three
flagless masts. That was the first insult to those who fell in that
battlefield or rather to those who were victorious, the "people's army."
It should be remembered that the British flag, the Queens/ Regimental
Colours, were lost when the battle was lost, a sign of decisive defeat.
It was to be recovered few days later along the banks of Umzinyathi
River. Melvill and Coghill, who were assigned to carry The Colours,
were killed and the Colours lost.24Because of the circumstances under which they were killed, it is
very unlikely that the Colours would have been found had the Zulus knew
what they symbolize. This makes the posthumous award of the Victoria
Crosses to them even more questionable.

The
security guard advised me that in order to gain access to the battlefield
I would have to go and pay at the information centre a few metres away.
Having travelled for almost 400km I needed to make use of the toilet.
At the information centre they pointed me into a toilet, which to my
surprise did not even have running water, another insult. I was denied
access to use the toilet at the Lodge close by, as I was not one of
their guests. Now having paid, I proceeded straight to the gate and
gained access to the battlefield. Few metres from the gate there was
a huge bronze artefact, which to me resembled Isinqu, an informal bravery
award, associated with the Zulu army. It bears no names and the reason
why it is there. To a non-Zulu, it is a meaningless huge bronze bracelet.
I was disappointed but still hopeful that somewhere next to the mountain
there was something recording and commemorating the decisive victory
of the people's army but I only came across unmarked English graves
and more closer to the mountain there were various monuments in honour
of the British army. The one that struck me was from Maritzburg College
Old Boys in honour of the "Old boys" who died at Isandlwana
fighting on the side of the British army.

I,
one of the children of Isandlwana left Isandlwana disappointed and proceeded
to Rorke's Drift. I decided against
taking the fugitive's route down to the fugitive's drift but took the
ordinary route. I had to cross the Umzinyathi River Bridge. As I was
crossing the bridge, there was a board reminding me that I was officially
crossing Buffalo River,
and not Umzinyathi River as was and still known to local indigenous
people. Seven years into Black majority rule, colonial names still haunt
us, shame unto us, the children of Isandlwana.

The
museum at Rorke's Drift was well organized, as I expected. They had
running water and a state-of-the-art computer with clearly defined defence
lines, the plan with audio-visual assimilation material. I failed to
comprehend why there was such disparity between Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana,
but it soon dawned on me when I realised who were the victors there.
Seven years into Black majority rule, there is no proper, I mean proper
memorials dignifying those who were buried like dogs in those two
mass graves. Shame unto us, the children of Isandlwana.

The
decision by the Chief of Staff of the South African National Defence
Force, Gen. Siphiwe Nyanda to honour an invitation by the Zondi Committee
to attend the unveiling of the plaque in honour of Bhambatha ka Mancinza
Zondi on the 16th December 2001 has to be applauded. The
fact that it was a family affair has to be condemned. The 1906 Bhambatha
Rebellion was not a family affair. It was to go down in history as the
last armed rebellion conducted in "the spirit of Isandlwana". The government
of the people should have taken the initiative

To
this day, seven years after the Black majority rule, there exists a
" John chard medal" and a
"John chard decoration" within
the South African National Defence Force.25 This medal and a decoration in
named in honour Lt JR Chard, an Englishman, who was in command of Rorke's
Drift on the night of January 22-23, 1879. What about Dabulamanzi ka
Mpande, Jobe ka Matshana, Ntshingwayo, Sigcwelegcwele, Mavumengwana,
Hinsa, Sikhukhuni and many more.

Having
found the best of British patriotism in the heart of the Australian
soil, I failed to find any African patriotism in South African soil
in the form of Isandlwana or Rorke's Drift, but did find, once more
the best of British patriotism in the form of John Chard Decoration and John Chard Medal right in the heart of
the South African National Defence Force- shame unto us- the children
of Isandlwana, a shame to King Cetshwayo's People's Army.

Year
2001 has been declared "THE YEAR
OF THE AFRICAN CENTURY for democracy, peace and development" by
South Africa's governing party.26Like the biblical "Children of Israel", may the "Spirit of Isandlwana" guide
the "Children of Isandlwana"
in battles at hand; battles against poverty, illiteracy, disease,
racism and battles for Black Economic Empowerment, prosperity, peace
and the African Renaissance. But how will the "Spirit of Isandlwana"
prevail if the honour and dignity of those who fell there is not properly
restored?

Written in Memory of Troop Sergeant Major Khambula, DCM, an African:

Who
for all the wrong reasons, but in good faith, fought bravely and loyally
for the English Army from the beginning to the end of the Anglo-Zulu
War. He was with the Natal Native Horse.

He fought for "The Great White Queen" at Isandlwana, Hlobane, Khambula,
Nondwengu and Ulundi. He guided his European Comrades through the African
bush he knew better. He opened a path, which was later to be referred
to as "The Fugitives Route/ Drift" for his Comrades to escape the slaughter
at Isandlwana. He fired at his African Brothers across the Buffalo River
for more of his Comrades to escape.

The Citation in his Distinguished
Conduct Medal (WO 146/1) reads: "This non-commissioned Officer. saved
the life of an Officer of the Frontier Light Horse by bringing him out
of a very heavy fire behind him on his horse." After the award,
Rev. Owen Watkins of the Methodist Church of which Khambula was part
of the flock, wrote, "Simeon Khambula had truly served The Great
White Queen, he received the medal from the hands of an English General
at a parade of the troops. Had he been a White Man, he would have received
The Victoria Cross"27. So wrote
the man of the cloth.

Troop Sergeant-Major Khambula
was ostracized by fellow Africans as a traitor and denied the Victoria
Cross by the English because of the colour of his skin. Let us learn
from his mistake; let us know who we are. We are the Children of Isandlwana.

Reference:

1.MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH AFRICA ON THE 67TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, January 1979, by late former President
of the African National Congress, Oliver Tambo. From: SECHABA, APRIL 1979.

14.CETSHWAYO'S DUTCHMAN, BEING
THE PRIVATE JOURNAL OF A WHITE TRADER IN ZULULAND DURING THE BRITISH
INVASION, C.VIJN, translated, edited and
annoted by J.W Colenso, London, 1884,page 142 and quoted by Jeff Guy
in " THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ZULU KINGDOM" page 55, University of Natal
Press, 1994.

25.SEE BULLETIN 71/98 SOUTH
AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE. See the
John chard award and decoration to Maj-General I Deetlefs, Chief of
the Part-time Component of the South African National Defence Force
and his association with Royal Natal Carbineers Association and the
Natal Carbineers Trust. The Natal Carbineers were part of the British
Army at Isandlwana. The memorial which mark their last stand reads "
. to die the earth with brave men's blood for England's sake and duty.
Tell it in England those that pass us by, here, faithful to their charge,
her soldiers lie"

26.STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ON THE OCCASION
OF THE 89 ANNIVERSARY OF THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS. JANUARY
8, 2001 www.anc.org.za.

27.THE NATAL NATIVE CONTIGENT IN THE ANGLO-ZULU WAR 1879 by Paul
Thompson, Historical Studies Department, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg,
South Africa. SEE " THE NATAL WITNESS " Saturday, December 17,
1881. SEE "Narrative of the Field Operations connected with the
Zulu War of 1879, (London, 1881) SEE Rev. Owen Watkins' article
in "THE METHODIST READER". ALSO GO TO www.chapter-one.com and
compare Khambula's Citation to that of other White Soldiers who were
awarded Victoria Crosses.